Surviving Maine’s Great Outdoors Part 2

It’s hunting season and snowmobile season is right on our heels. Many folks will be heading out into the open woods. Hopefully, you’ll take a survival pack, like the one Chelsey Anderson packed on her trip.Last night, a Maine Guide and Chelsey made their way into the woods and got lost. Chelsey showed you the basics of navigation, and how to build a shelter and a fire.In part two of this series a different kind of shelter, some beaver pond water, and how to get out of the woods.”I think that will make a good little base for one right there.””Now with this saw we’re going to run this one between these two trees. So what I want you to do is take the saw, come right around to this side and saw that off right about there.” “Wow it’s really easy.” “Yeah.” “Now this will become part of our shelter.””Now again this is all to keep your mind occupied and off the fact that you are lost.””So we’re going to dig out our twine.””Put any kind of knot you can think of in that.””So I just tie this off where ever?” “Sure.””Look at that it’s holding itself up!” “Look at you go.”Now it’s time to look for dead wood.”So we’re just going to lean them like this.” “Yep. Just going to lean them like that for now.””This is just a small 8×10 tarp. Nothing fancy. They fold up small and if your survival pack is something of the size of a backpack then this is a great addition.””Alls we’ll do is just make a little knot and just tie it right around here.”Now we’ll make a pine bough bed to keep us dry and warm.”This is Cadillac right here. I’m telling you what. This is the way survival shelters should be.”Now to get out of here.”We just basically need to know what direction the truck is in at this point.””So we need to go that way. East right.”But a guess could only get us more lost, so we pull out our map.”So let’s dial north into this thing.” “Okay.” “Now turn your body and face north.” “East.” “We need to go east.” “Yes!” Now we’ll verify with our GPS.”So I’m going to go to 178, which is what we marked in for the car.” “Yep.” “Look at that.” “East!” On our trek, we come across a beaver pond. We’re out of water, so Randy show’s me how to filter water.”Well normally, you want to filter your water from a moving stream. It’s much cleaner. You also have the risk of giardia from the beaver dam.”Giardia is a nasty bacteria that multiplies in your intestines.”So basically this filter will make it water like you drink out of the faucet?” “Water like you drink out of a faucet.” “So it won’t have a smell or a discoloration?” “Nope.”I let Randy try it first.”(smack) Got kind of a beavery kind of taste to it.” (laughter) “No it’s just as clear. It’s like bottled water.”My turn.”You’ll taste it’s so clean.” (cough, cough) (laughter) “No. I’m just joking!” “Nice!” “It tastes just like regular water.” “It does.” We head on our way.”What happens if your GPS is broken.” “Well that’s where prior preparation comes in. Like we did back up at the vehicle. We figured out which way we were going into the woods and which way we needed to go to get out of the woods. That’s going to be our lifesaver. But on the other side of that coin. Everybody always talks about their compass.” “Yeah, you could always use your compass, right? “Yep. But there is the potential for the compass to break.”Just then, my GPS signal goes out. Searching for satellites.”Right there.That’s what killed your signal.””So as soon as we move into the open you’ll see those jump back up and you’ll see.” “So basically don’t freak out.” “Don’t freak out. Just keep moving.””Almost back!”It’s nice to spend some time outdoors, but a relief to see the truck.It takes a week for giardia to set in. Thankfully the filter worked for Chelsey.For more information on navigation and survival, contact Randy at [email protected] You can also read some of his articles in the “Northern Woods Sporting Journal.”